


The Spirit Outside the School Gate

by Arisprite



Series: Little Wishes [5]
Category: xxxHoLic
Genre: Gen, School Life, Watanuki's a butt, ah the good old days, and Doumeki's a grump, everyday spirit attacks no biggie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-22
Updated: 2015-07-22
Packaged: 2018-04-10 14:55:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4396244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arisprite/pseuds/Arisprite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Watanuki is acting weird today. Doumeki figures that there is something waiting for Watanuki outside the school grounds, and takes measures to help out, if only Watanuki would let him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Spirit Outside the School Gate

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this on lunch today. Good old days, amiright?

There were spirits outside the school grounds. Doumeki didn't know this because of any sight of his own, or because he was sensitive about these things. No, he knew because Watanuki was extra annoying today, and refused to give any clear reason as to why. Doumeki plugged his ears, but still heard the ranting.

"...and it wasn't as if I _asked_ to be forced to make breakfast, lunch, and dinner for Yuuko-san! But she's still demanding, demanding, ‘stay at the shop Watanuki-kun, I want crêpes for breakfast Watanuki-kun’. Do you know how long it takes to make enough crêpes to feed her? And with Mokona eating them too, it just _doubles!_ , I was up at the crack of dawn!"

Doumeki unplugged his ears long enough to respond.

"I like crêpes," he said mildly.

"That is completely beside the point! And you know what, _you_ make my life just as difficult as her, so don't you start because after I was done with breakfast, I still had to make lunch for _you_!"

“And Kunogi,” Doumeki replied with. Watanuki faltered, thrown out of his rant. 

“Well, yes. Himawari-chan deserves much more care and attention given to her lunches than I was able to give this morning, thanks to Yuuko-san.” Watanuki sniffed, and half closed his eyes. 

It was after school now, and normally Watanuki would have walked to work as quickly as he could, avoiding Doumeki and the spirits, but today he’d hung around until Doumeki was done with archery practice. It was curious. 

“Don’t you have work right now?” Doumeki asked, again cutting into Watanuki’s rant (about different cheeses of all things). 

Watanuki glared at him with narrowed eyes. “What’s it to you? Yuuko-san said I could come a little late today, that’s all!” 

Doumeki still didn’t see how the logic added up, unless there _was_ something outside the gates, and Watanuki didn’t want to go alone. Of course, the idiot could never admit that. 

“You’re pretty late.”

“I know!” 

“So, what are you doing at the school?” It was almost empty now, and nearly everyone had gone home. The sky was already getting dark, too, as it was the middle of winter and the sun went down almost too early to believe. The cold air hung between them as Watanuki pouted and folded his arms. 

Knowing there was no excuse Watanuki could make without hurting his pride, which meant that there was nothing he would say, Doumeki spoke first. 

“Want me to walk you to work?” 

“No!” Watanuki immediately said, and then Doumeki caught the minute flinch that was the part of Watanuki that truly wanted help. Kicking himself for looking that close, as it always made teasing feel a little more wrong, Doumeki sighed heavily, as if put upon, and moved towards the school gates. 

“C’mon then.” 

Watanuki watched him walk a couple steps, taking him within feet of the gate, before he shouted and came forward. 

“Wait!” Doumeki could hear true fear in his voice, and he wondered how nasty this thing was that was hanging around. He paused, a step or two from the threshold, and looked back. Watanuki was pale, with his hand half outstretched, at war with himself. 

“What is it?” Doumeki asked, but he let his voice get soft. Watanuki pursed his lips, and looked away, troubled and angry. Doumeki took another step back, and turned towards Watanuki completely. “What are you seeing?” 

The school grounds were safe, with wards in the corners that Doumeki took it upon himself to maintain himself. The thing wasn’t more powerful than those - but Watanuki was a strong draw, and so it waited. Doumeki couldn’t see anything, but with more exposure, and the eye that they shared, he could sometimes catch glimpses, or feelings that he couldn’t before. The feeling from the outside of the school gate was heavy, and clammy, like a thunderstorm, though the day was cold and clear. 

Watanuki sucked him a breath, and then heaved it out - the worst thing in the world to him was to be open with Doumeki. 

“It’s just… it’s big. It followed me from my house.” 

“I’ll walk with you,” Doumeki said again. Watanuki shivered with anger, growling. 

“I don’t _want_ you to.” 

Doumeki felt a flash of annoyance himself, blowing out a gust of air through his nose, and letting it cloud between them. 

“You want to get eaten?” he asked. Why couldn’t the idiot just ask for help? 

Watanuki glanced at the gates, and then threw his hands in the air. “Argh! Fine!” 

Doumeki grit his teeth, still feeling upset. _He_ was going out of his way, and lending his power and safety, and Watanuki always acted like it was the biggest imposition he could think of. Doumeki considered holding out, making Watanuki ask for it properly, but then deflated. Expending the energy wasn’t worth it. 

Watanuki stayed just behind him while they stepped out the gate, and then squeaked and took his arm once they were two paces away. Doumeki lifted his eyebrows, and Watanuki glared, shoulders hunched around his ears, like he was warding off blows. 

“It’s powerful, so what? You don’t tell this to anyone!!” 

Doumeki rolled his eyes, and they walked, with Watanuki’s hands clamped around Doumeki’s elbow. Doumeki felt that annoyance again, at himself this time, because he couldn’t say he didn’t like the warmth from Watanuki’s hands.


End file.
